1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a motorcycle parking stand and, more particularly, to a center parking stand for use on large, heavyweight touring/cruiser class motorcycles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large, heavyweight touring class motorcycles typically weigh between 1200 and 1300 lbs including the rider, passenger and luggage. These motorcycles are easily controlled by the skilled rider as long as there is a sufficient forward motion which will allow for unbalanced dynamic forces to be corrected. When the motorcycle is stopped, these dynamic forces give way to destabilizing static forces that require the rider to keep the motorcycle balanced in a vertical position using the rider's feet, legs, body motion or weight. Any unbalanced static force can turn precipitously into an uncontrollable dynamic force if an excessive lean angle develops during stopping or the parking process. The result is that the rider might be required to "lay down" the motorcycle risking, not only personal injury, but also damage to the motorcycle.
Typically, these large touring motorcycles, and sometimes smaller motorcycles too, are equipped with dual parking stands. One of these stands is a side stand which requires the rider to lean the burdened motorcycle to the left until the side stand contacts the parking surface and assists in supporting the motorcycle. In this leaned and awkward position, the rider and/or passenger then dismounts. Often the unbalanced forces being exerted on the suspension system and the stand cause the motorcycle to move and shift during the dismounting process. The second type of parking stand is known as a main or center stand. Use of the center stand first requires use of the side stand as described above to permit the rider to dismount the motorcycle. The dismounted rider then uprights the motorcycle off of the side stand and balances the motorcycle in the vertical position while standing beside it. While holding the motorcycle upright and standing beside it, the rider then, with one foot, lowers the main stand to the parking surface. A combination of forces cause the motorcycle to be raised upward and moved backward onto the center stand and into its parked position. These forces include exerting a standing pressure with one foot, typically the right foot, on a footlever of the center stand, maintaining the balance of the motorcycle with the left foot and left hand, and applying a lifting force with the right hand. As a result, the rear wheel of the motorcycle becomes elevated and remains suspended above the parking surface when the motorcycle is brought up on the main stand.
FIG. 1 illustrates a motorcycle 10 of the touring or cruiser variety. In the figure, the motorcycle 10 is parked on a side stand 12 of a known variety. To park the motorcycle 10, the motorcycle 10 is leaned to the left until the downwardly extended side stand 12 contacts the parking surface 14 and supports the motorcycle's unbalanced weight. The rider and/or passenger then dismount from this parked position. Later, the rider remounts, lifts the motorcycle 10 off the side stand 12 into an upright, balanced position and applies forward power to ride away.
FIG. 2 shows the touring motorcycle 10 parked on a main stand 16 of a known variety. In order to park the motorcycle 10 on the main stand 16, the rider first parks the motorcycle on its side stand 12 as discussed below. The rider then dismounts and stands alongside the motorcycle 10. The motorcycle 10 is then lifted off of the side stand 12 and simultaneously, while standing on one foot, typically the left foot, the rider balances the motorcycle 10 on its two wheels 20 and 22 by holding the handlebar 24 with one hand, the left hand. The rider places the other foot, the right foot, on a footlever 18, lowers the main stand 16 down to the parking surface, and lifts and pulls the rear of the motorcycle 10 upward and backward on a lifting handle 26 with the other hand, the right hand. The resulting timing and combination of forces raise the motorcycle 10 upward and rearward until it is resting on the main stand 16 with the rear wheel 22 of the motorcycle 10 suspended above the parking surface 14.
The above procedure is essentially reversed in order to ready and mount the motorcycle for riding. First, the rider stands alongside the motorcycle 10 with his left hand on handlebar 24 and his right hand on the lifting handle 26. Then, by pulling on the lifting handle 26, the motorcycle 10 is simultaneously lifted upward and pulled forward until it is off main stand 16. The side stand 12 is then lowered and the motorcycle 10 leaned onto the side stand 12 and into the parked configuration shown in FIG. 1. The motorcycle 10 can then be mounted by the rider and passenger, balanced by the rider in its upright configuration, the side stand 12 retracted into its stow position, and the motorcycle 10 ridden away using forward power.
Parking the motorcycle on the main stand is more desirable than using the side stand because of the greater stability it offers. However, most riders avoid this procedure because it is very strenuous and hazardous and since the rider may easily lose control of and drop the motorcycle during parking.
As seen from the above discussion, the parking stands presently in use and their methods of operation suffer from a number of inherent limitations. First, the side stand requires the rider to lean the stationary motorcycle from a balanced vertical position to an unbalanced leaning position. Additionally, both rider and passenger are required to dismount the motorcycle before it can be parked on the main stand. Parking the motorcycle on the main stand is strenuous and is a complex, coordinated procedure which requires the rider to lift the motorcycle from the side stand parking position, balance it while standing on one foot, raise the other foot to lower the main stand, and lift the motorcycle with the other hand while simultaneously applying a standing force on a footlever of the main stand. When the main stand finally reaches the park position, the rear wheel of the motorcycle is suspended above the parking surface.
As mentioned above, although parking on the main stand is the more secure of the two parking positions, most riders avoid this because of the combination of physical strength and coordination required to perform the procedure. When the main stand is being used, so much weight is exerted on the parking surface because of the raised rear end of the motorcycle that, if the surface is not sufficiently hard, the stand will penetrate into the parking surface. This often causes the motorcycle to fall over onto the ground damaging the motorcycle and potentially injuring any by-standers. This problem is more common when parking on blacktop surfaces where the sun heats the surface over the course of the day.
The ride away procedure from this type of main stand is essentially the reverse of the parking procedure. The rider stands alongside the motorcycle, lifts up and pulls forward on the motorcycle until it comes off the main stand, stops the forward motion while keeping the motorcycle balanced, lowers the motorcycle to the side stand parking position, and then mounts the motorcycle. The passenger can either mount the motorcycle while it is on its side stand or wait until it is balanced by the rider in the vertical position. After the motorcycle has been balanced upright, the rider raises the side stand with the left foot, shifts the motorcycle to gear and rides away. As with parking the motorcycle, removing it from the main parking stand can also be hazardous since it too requires a certain amount of strength and timed coordination.
With the limitations of the prior art in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a center or main parking stand which does not require use of the side stand during the parking procedure. Instead, during parking on the center stand the motorcycle is always kept in a balanced upright configuration or orientation.
Another object of this invention is to provide a center parking stand which allows the rider remains on the motorcycle during the entire parking procedure and ride away procedure.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a center parking stand which can replace the stock main stand provided with the motorcycle by the manufacturer.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a center parking stand which balances the motorcycle while parked but does not bear or support a significant amount of the motorcycle's weight.
A further object is to provide a center parking stand which reduces the likelihood that it will penetrate into the parking surface.
A still further object is to provide a center stand which converts, at least partially, into a side stand type of parking stand in the event of the stand penetrating into the parking surface.